News Release

CHICAGO, Oct. 27, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Grainger (NYSE: GWW), the leading broad line supplier of maintenance, repair and operating (MRO) products serving businesses and institutions, today announced that it was awarded a follow-on Schedule 51V contract by the General Services Administration (GSA), which will enable Grainger to continue doing business with Federal government customers.

The new contract will go into effect on Nov. 10, 2017, with an initial five-year term and can be renewed for three additional five-year terms upon mutual agreement. Grainger first entered its current Schedule 51V contract in 1999 and has realized more than $2 billion in sales under the contract. The new contract will run parallel to Grainger's current Schedule 51V contract, which expires in February 2019. These government contracts do not contain any minimum purchase requirements or volume guarantees.

The new Schedule 51V contract will enable Grainger to continue to serve the many Federal government customers who have relied on Grainger for its robust logistics capabilities, broad product offering and comprehensive customer service. Grainger offers Federal customers a one-stop shopping solution with approximately 800,000 Trade Agreements Act (TAA)-compliant products, such as safety supplies, material handling, tools, electrical, lighting, plumbing and HVAC supplies through its GSA Schedule, as well as AbilityOne® products to help support the National Industries for the Blind and the National Industries for the Severely Handicapped. Grainger also supports GSA Four-Party Logistics military base supply stores throughout the United States, Guam and Japan.

About GraingerW.W. Grainger, Inc., with 2016 sales of $10.1 billion, is North America's leading broad line supplier of maintenance, repair and operating products (MRO), with operations also in Europe, Asia and Latin America.

Safe Harbor Statement All statements in this communication, other than those relating to historical facts, are "forward-looking statements." These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to a number of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control, which could cause actual results to differ materially from such statements. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements about future strategic plans and future financial and operating results. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from our expectations include, among others: higher product costs or other expenses; a major loss of customers; loss or disruption of source of supply; increased competitive pricing pressures; failure to develop or implement new technologies; the implementation, timing and success of our strategic pricing initiatives; the outcome of pending and future litigation or governmental or regulatory proceedings, including with respect to wage and hour, anti-bribery and corruption, environmental, advertising, privacy and cybersecurity matters; investigations, inquiries, audits and changes in laws and regulations; disruption of information technology or data security systems; general industry or market conditions; general global economic conditions; currency exchange rate fluctuations; market volatility; commodity price volatility; labor shortages; facilities disruptions or shutdowns; higher fuel costs or disruptions in transportation services; natural and other catastrophes; unanticipated weather conditions; loss of key members of management; our ability to operate, integrate and leverage acquired businesses; changes in credit ratings; changes in effective tax rates and other factors which can be found in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our most recent periodic reports filed on Form 10-K and Form 10-Q, which are available on our Investor Relations website. Forward-looking statements are given only as of the date of this communication and we disclaim any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.